What The Heart Wants
by Bakers28
Summary: Lucy escaped her tormented life years ago with a little help from a pink haired stranger. After her initial steps into the world however they went their separate ways and she never thought she would see him again. Now Lucy's a college student and is ready to make a future for herself, but will some things from her past follow her into this new life? HIATUS
1. What Would You Give?

**Disclaimer: I own nothing that has to do with Fairy Tail what so ever! Only the ideas that popped into my strange head which prompted me to write this piece, ne! I sincerely hope you all enjoy my writing.**

Chp 1: What would you give?

 _Her tiny feet pounded the wet grass, the wind whipping aggressively against her frail form. Fair blonde hair dirtied from scrambling through dense undergrowth and slipping countless times in the mud left by the raging thunderstorm. The clouds above parted slightly to allow broken bits of the moonlight to shine through, illuminating her form from time to time. Nine years old was not nearly old enough for her to try and make it out on her own but she could barely find it in her beaten and battered body to care anymore. Tears tracked down her round cheeks as she slipped once again. Her body skidded, tumbling down the hillside she was currently on._

 _She landed at the bottom with a muted thud but she wouldn't allow herself to remain there despite the fog that was filling her mind. She couldn't stop moving until she was off of the estate and Gods only knew how many more acres she had left to travel before that would happen. Dirt buried itself under her nails as she scraped the ground trying to push herself back up onto her feet. Her breath left her body in tiny huffs, fresh tears springing to the corners of her eyes._

 _She was alone now, without the guidance of anyone she'd ever known. Although, if you were to ask her she would have told you she had been alone for the past year. Physically surrounded by people every day but never really seeing them. Never feeling the comfort of their presence. She had been alone since her mother died suddenly after her seventh birthday. That was when everything changed. It was as if a low hanging cloud had slowly spread over the estate she lived on. Seeping from her father's broken heart after her mother's passing. He had even sent away those working on the grounds who had been closest to her dear mother. Claiming seeing their faces caused him too much pain._

 _Layla Heartfilia had truly been the light in all of their lives and it was simply something that she could not replace. Slowly after months of verbal and physical abuse behind closed doors the former brightness in the child had been snuffed out too. She missed her mother terribly and she was horrified by the darkness in her father. The look in his eyes after mama's funeral had made her blood run cold. The servants and staff had patted her head and assured her that he would recover with time but she knew they were wrong. The grief Jude felt was all consuming and vicious, like a plague set on his soul that tainted them all. After a month of trying to get through to him she had given up and instead taken to avoiding him at all costs. If she got too close she could almost feel the palpable hatred._

 _After those who had severed Layla had been cast out he had flown into a rage and destroyed most of her possessions and paintings that featured the beautiful blonde maiden. His daughter had cried for days before resorting to her own rage induced rampage. The staff of the estate were mortified by the small child's actions but she was numb to their frightened gazes. There was nothing left in the young girl's body, she felt like a black hole. Nothing really interested her anymore. She simply couldn't find it in herself to care about the life she lived. It wasn't much of a life at all when everything was predetermined for her..._

 _Panting heavily she found herself breaking through into a clearing that she did not recognize. Eyes wide she looked around at the looming trees and bone white flowers that swayed with the ever present wind. The moon was finally shining high in the sky and she felt the millions of stars sparkling on her pale skin. Her once white nightgown whipped around her calves, visible rips easily shown in the light from where she had climbed through harsh undergrowth and overgrown rose bushes. Bushes her mother had once loved so dearly. Her bare feet were battered but she barely felt the cuts as she walked through the clearing, far too fascinated by a piece of the world she had never seen._

 _So this was the world outside of the boundaries she had always lived in. The air felt clearer here. Easier to breathe. Sucking in a slow breath the small child threw out her arms and twirled. When she opened her eyes again she thought she caught a glimpse of pink briefly appearing on the other side of the clearing. However, when she blinked her eyes the flash of color had disappeared, leaving only inky blackness in its wake. She had but a moment to contemplate whether or not her eyes had been playing tricks on her before she heard it. A long howl followed by the faintest sound of snarling._

 _Her soft brown eyes widened in horror._

 _Her father had sent the wolves after her._

 _Once again she was sprinting. Her tired feet pounded the earth with reckless abandon. She needed to find a way to evade them and quickly or she would be dragged back to her prison. Her entire body shuddered at the thought. She could only imagine how furious her father had been when he'd learned of her escape. She truly hadn't thought that he would send anyone to check on her in the middle of the night but then again she supposed this was just her luck. Her brows furrowed as she worried her lip, stumbling slightly. But how had they known? She had stuffed pillows under her blankets to look like she was still in bed..._

 _Suddenly a growl sounded behind her and her heart leapt into her throat. It was far too close for comfort for the tiny blonde. She skidded to a stop her eyes darting around wildly as she strained her ears to listen for the telltale sound of the wolves paws smacking the wet earth. Her breathing became so shallow that it was nearly nonexistent but she heard nothing. Then suddenly the growl sounded again, closer this time and off to her left. With a startled yelp she scrambled backwards as the bushes began to rustle. In a state of panic she grabbed a large stick from the ground and closed her eyes before she swung with all her might. To her surprise she didn't hear the ferocious growl of a wolf but instead a shocked yell._

 _Breathing heavily the blonde snapped open her eyes and immediately felt confusion overtake her features. There on the ground a young boy sat before her, hands up in front of his face to protect himself. She fumbled backwards a bit before dropping her weapon, eyes wide. He glared up at her from behind his hands, his lips were curled back over his teeth in a threatening snarl. Her large brown eyes blinked rapidly at the sight before her._

 _"W-what..." She stammered. She hadn't seen any other children since before her mother had passed and to say she was shocked would be a grave understatement. She hadn't expected to find anyone out here, none the less a boy perhaps only a year or two older who was sporting spiky pink locks and growling at her._

 _Suddenly she heard more yelling from further away and she began to panic. They were still hot on her trail and if she didn't move quickly she would surely be caught. Her feet began to move before she came to a dead halt, looking back at the strange boy with a frightened expression._

 _What would happen to him if they came across him?_

 _Without much thought she lunged forward and gripped his right wrist with both of her hands. Tugging with all of her might he came stumbling forward with a yelp but she was already running before he could get any words out._

 _"You have to run!" She panted, narrowly dodging a tree that sprung up in front of her. "If they catch us they might take you away as well!"_

 _She could still hear the voices behind them and she looked around desperately for a way to escape. If they kept running she wasn't sure they would be fast enough. They needed somewhere to hide or a way to escape and they needed it now. Suddenly the trees began to thin and she could hear water near by. Veering to the right she set her sights on a river that was only a few yards away, the rushing water glittering under the full moon._

 _The boy was yelling something behind her but she couldn't bother herself to listen because the blood rushing in her ears was far too loud. They came to a halt at the bank of the river and he yanked his hand from her death grip._

 _ **"Oi!"** He snapped behind her and somehow she didn't need to turn around to know he was glaring. "Just who the hell are you?!"_

 _ **'What language for a child to use.'** Her mind idly thought as she stared at the rushing water before her._

 _She turned to respond but her words caught in her throat. She could hear the wolves' blood chilling snarls and beams of light were beginning to cut through the trees. There was no time for an introduction._

 _Her brown eyes found his black ones and her lips trembled as she spoke._

 _"Jump if you want to live."_

 _His eyes widened and he seemed to be about to question her sanity but it was too late. She could see the wolves behind him now._

 _A shrill shriek left her lips and she grabbed his right hand once more before they both went tumbling into the rushing water. For a few moments she remained immersed under the surface. The world became quiet as she was tossed around by the current. Her eyes were shut tight and she briefly wondered if this would be how she died._

 _It didn't seem so bad honestly. At least she would never have to go back to that place. To that sad, lonely existence._

 _Then suddenly her head broke the surface. She emerged sputtering, blinking water out of her eyes only to get splashed in the face once more. She felt a sharp tug on her wrist and suddenly her upper body was thrown over small log._

 _"What the hell was that all about?" An enraged voice barked into her right ear. "Ya tryna drown yourself or sumthin weirdo?"_

 _She turned to her right, her left cheek pressed against the wet log as her lower body continued to be thrashed by the river. She met angry slits of eyes and lips pressed into a hard line. Now that his hair was soaked it was plastered to his face and appeared more of a brownish red than pink. Briefly she wondered if she had been mistaken in thinking it was actually pink. She shook her head and clutched the log tighter as her end ricocheted off of a protruding rock. Her eyes slammed shut and she heard his aggravated sigh besides her. The currents were carrying them so quickly she didn't dare open her eyes again lest she be blinded by the splash of the rapids._

 _Idly she wondered how the water was moving so fast and how far away they'd already been carried away. There was no way the men would be able to keep up now and if the wolves jumped in they would surly drown._

 _"Um..." He suddenly said from besides her. His voice was so low it caused a shudder to wrack her body. "You might want to hold on a lil' tighter and whatever you do...don't open your eyes."_

 _His words terrified her and she was about to demand why he would say something like that but then she heard it. The sound of water crashing far bellow. The current picked up and dread washed over her entire being. She didn't have to open her eyes to know they were barreling towards a waterfall. A small whimper escaped her as she squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. Her arms wrapped around the log in a death grip and she waited for the edge to come._

 _For a moment the world was quiet. Even the sounds of the water crashing in the distance faded away. Her mind was entirely blank. Then, his voice broke the silence. His tone was much softer now and she almost opened her eyes so she could see what kind of expression he was wearing. But before she could work up the nerve the sound of the rapids tumbling into a waterfall reached her and she became far too afraid to see the edge approaching them._

 _"Hey," He began slowly. "Whats your name?"_

 _ **'What an odd question to ask...Although, perhaps I would also want to know the name of the stranger that dragged me into a rushing river that's about to send us both flying off a cliff...'** She thought, silently hating herself._

 _"Lucy." Her voice was nothing more than a broken whisper._

 _"Lucy." He repeated, as if testing out her name. When he spoke again she could have sworn that she heard the smile pulling at his lips. "I'm Natsu."_

 _And then...they fell._

 **Woo! Wow, okay it's been several years since I've posted anything to this site (or really done any writing of this sort). It was also under a different pen name and if you're genuinely curious I suppose I'll reveal it haha. I find Natsu and Lucy's relationship in Fairy Tail quite fascinating and they're definitely one of my all time favorite ship pairings. The inspiration for this story came to me from the song "Windswept" by Crywolf. Their music is magical and quite honestly I'll most likely include a piece where the lyrics are Incorporated or the characters are listening to the music. I think knowing what the author was listening to while writing a piece gives it new dimensions and a good head space for actually reading the story. That might just be me though, ne?**

 **Anywho~~ lemme know what y'all think of this so far. I've begun writing the second chapter. I'm quite wordy so I wouldn't be surprised if these chapters end up being long. This one didn't end up being as long as I had suspected it would be (it was like 6 pages in word). Hopefully they don't become** ** _too_** **long though, if it starts to get that way don't be afraid to tell me! Also, I have genuinely no idea how many chapters this story will end up being. We'll see how much detail I feel like putting into it. My Spring Quarter is over after this week so I'll have 3 months to write to my little hearts content.**

 **Best, SB**


	2. Ms Lucky Lucy Heartfilia

Chp 2: Ms. "Lucky" Lucy Heartfilia

I awoke with a sudden start.

Sweat beaded on my forehead as I sat up in bed, my fingers desperately grasping at the sheets that were tangled around my legs. I found myself momentarily confused by the blanket of sleep that still weighed heavily on me as I looked around wildly.

Only to find that I was sitting in a hotel room, not plummeting over the edge of a waterfall.

A sigh erupted from my lips as I rubbed my face furiously, attempting to release myself from the grip of my dream…I swear, I have the weirdest dreams. They're always so vivid…and _real_. A shiver raced down my spine.

It took a moment to untangle my waking thoughts from the dream that still nagged at my subconscious mind. I took this time to draw the line between what I knew was true and what my crazy mind had obviously conjured up. I knew that I had run away from home years ago but honestly that seemed to be the only piece of the dream that was real. Although, I mused, it wasn't impossible for the other things to also be true. As strange as it may strike some I had no recollection of how I had actually escaped as a child. My last memory after clambering down from my balcony, thanks to the make-shift ladder I had constructed by tying my bedsheets together, was waking at the edge of a forest.

This had certainly come as a shock but I had shaken it off quickly enough once I realized my _tyrant_ of a father was nowhere to be seen. That had been all it took to send me on my way. And so began my new life.

As Lucy.

Not "Lucky" Lucy Heartfilia.

Just Lucy.

When Levy, my blue haired best friend, had discovered that I had lost what we assumed was about a week of time between leaving home and waking it had sent her into an all-out panic. She had been convinced that there was something terribly wrong with me. Eventually, her nagging had become so persistent that I had agreed to see a doctor despite my anxieties of my father somehow finding me because of it.

It might seem crazy to most but I would swear on my own life that that man actually had eyes in the sky.

The good doctor had assured us that when faced with such a traumatic event it was not uncommon for people to block out periods of time. I was perfectly healthy and he surmised that my memories would return with good time when I was ready.

Of course, that had been nine years ago when I was ten. Now, I was getting ready to attend college and I still had not recovered the time.

And on top of that I had only had the same dream, or snippets of it, since then.

This was something that I kept hidden from everyone however. _Especially_ Levy. Lest I be forced into seeing a shrink. I felt myself shudder at the thought. Not that I have anything against psychiatrists! It's just that the thought of anyone poking around inside in of my head makes me uneasy. I'm incredibly private and as a byproduct quiet. Something Porlyusica, Levy and I's foster mother, had been quite keen on considering Levy's boisterous personality.

The two of us were like ying and yang. But, that was what made our personalities mesh so well. I love Levy deeply. She and Porlyusica are the only real family I have and I cherish them above all else. Save for my mother of course, but honestly, no one could be held in higher regards in my mind.

I gave myself a groggy shake before sneaking a look over at said bluenette who was sleeping soundly in the bed next to me. I felt a soft smile curve the edges of my mouth as I watched the slow rise and fall of her shoulder. Glancing at the digital clock located on the nightstand shared by our beds I noted that it was 3 AM.

This came as no surprise to me. I couldn't remember the last time I hadn't awoken at this hour. Always just as restless as the time before. When it had first started around the time I turned twelve it had made me anxious. Pacing the floor of my room until I exhausted myself enough to collapse into a dreamless slumber.

Eventually, my nightly ritual had gotten on my foster mother's nerves which was when she had suggested that I start going for a run instead of "pacing relentlessly across the floor at odd hours of the night". Returning only when I was tired enough to sleep again. Considering that we lived tucked far away in the woods Porlyusica had deemed it safe enough. That coupled with the fact that I was actually a little spit fire who had proven time and time again that I could take care of myself put the two of them at ease. Levy had pouted a bit in the beginning but eventually relaxed when she realized that it really did help calm me down.

There had been a small lake about a half mile away our their cabin, and so, I made it my ritual to run to it, thoroughly enjoy the view of the stars I had there and take some time to talk to mom, before running back when weariness began to tug at me once again. Over the years I had made the trek so many times I would bet my left leg that I could run the entire way blindfolded now.

Although I missed the comforting blanket of the dark woods as I glanced out of the slightly dirty window at the soft glow of the street lamps I couldn't deny that I was excited to set a new route here in Magnolia. Of course, I recognized the added dangers of running through parts of a city as opposed to the quiet woods but I had accordingly added kickboxing to my workout regimen a little over three weeks ago. A small smirk pulled at my mouth as I felt a bit of eagerness creep up my spine at the thought of someone challenging me. Sure, I was tiny but I was also fierce.

It was actually a good way to describe both Levy and myself.

A giggle escaped my mouth. Although she may not look it the five foot nothing bluenette packed a walloping punch and had a smart mouth to match.

I, myself, was actually quite sassy if you got to know me well enough. Of course…nearly everyone who had met me would stare at you blankly if you were to use that word to describe me. I purposefully kept up such a quiet front that it was rare to hear me say much of anything. None the less something playful. Fear of my father finding me kept me from doing or saying much of anything that would make me stand out too much.

Sighing to myself I untangled my long legs from the sheets and slid them out from under the mess of blankets until they dangled over the side of the queen sized bed. Excitement thrummed in my veins at the prospect of my first run here in the city. Our motel was close enough to the campus of Magnolia University and thus the dorms where Levy and I would be living that I knew my route would be roughly the same. The University was actually large enough to have Sororities and Fraternities but if I was being totally honest with myself I was far too nervous to Rush.

That would definitely count as one of those things that stood out way too much. Drew too much attention, and if anyone were to realize who I really was…A chilling shiver rushed down my spine as I quickly pushed the thought away. It's not as if I believed that father had given up looking for me…In fact I was almost certain that he would soon up the ante as I had just recently turned 19. Now, seeing that I'm a considered an adult I'm sure he was just itching to get me back under his thumb.

I didn't doubt for one moment that if father found me he would try and marry me off. All for profit of course…Because, "Love is only a farce Lucy.".

The thought made me grimace.

Standing I quietly snatched my running clothes and shoes from the chair in the corner and made quick work of changing, throwing my slightly mused hair up in a ponytail. I had to wear two sports bras to make running comfortable. As I slipped my feet into my running shoes I let my mind drift back to when a livid Levy had scolded me for considering taping my chest as the age of 15. I had started to develop a figure like moms and my anxiety had started climbing through the roof every time I was out in public due to the amount of attention it drew. Snorting softly at the memory I tied my laces. Levy was a generous B but she was flat compared to me and she had nearly snapped at the thought of me "tarnishing my own goddamn good luck".

I walked towards the door, stuffing my room key in the strap attached to my left forearm along with my phone before turning the door handle. I slipped out without making a sound. Another testament to my quiet, shy façade. I was known for not making any noise when I moved. This, of course, was actually a product of my horrid childhood but no one besides Levy needed to know that. If I had dared to make any noise walking around the mansion I would surely be punished at the hand of my terribly angry father.

As such I had learned within the first month of mom's passing to never make my presence known. A child was to be seen (barely) and not heard after all. Ever.

Quietly I made my way down the hallway towards the staircase. Our room was located on the second floor and I made quick work of the stairs. As I passed through the lobby I offered a small nod to the clerk working the desk who returned it with a soft smile.

Once outside I popped my earbuds in, preferring the muted sounds they offered to the sound of the flickering street lights and occasional passing car. Peeri[CB1] ng from left to right I stretched out my calves as I decided which way I wanted to head in. I had heard rumors of a park nearby with great trails and a descent sized lake. I was fairly sure it was man made but it was a little body of water and that thought alone made me smile.

 _'Something that felt like home.'_

My feet pounded the cement as I ran through the fairly quiet streets. I relished in the feeling that overtook my body in these moments. The sensation of the air blowing past my skin was addicting. It reminded me of a time long ago. One of the only other vague memories I had from my escape. The adrenaline of running and feeling free for the first time in a long time. Casting a quick glance both ways I crossed the street and continued onward. Shop doors blurring by in my peripheral. I ran for a good fifteen minutes before I spotted large trees looming before me and without my consent I let out a little 'whoop', my fist pumping in the air.

Picking up speed I raced towards the park grinning like a fool, getting closer to the edge with every passing second.

Soon enough I had made it to the park and I skidded to a stop panting lightly. Content that I was now clear of any dark alleyways and as such impending doom I removed my phone from its home on my arm and began to scroll through my vast music collection. My fingers stopped when I scrolled past a particular song. My heart skipped a beat.

I had forgotten all about this song.

Moving towards the edge of the little lake I stopped on the paved path that encircled it. Peering over the water before I took a deep breath through my nose, as if to steady myself, and pressed play. In the second of silence that came before the first note I cranked it up to a point that I knew would verge on being just a bit painful. It might be bad for my hearing (and Levy would scold me endlessly for being so unsafe) but I really wanted to be swallowed whole by the song as I stared over the water. A careful blankness washed over me as I stared at the slightly rippling water. My lips parted as spoke a soft greeting to the breeze, my voice lingering in the otherwise silent park.

"Hi, mom."

Then the soft beginning melody began to play.

I was incredibly private about the music I played on my runs. If anyone knew they would surely find my choices strange. This song was certainly not one that would normally be considered traditional running music. In fact, I was certain that most people didn't even know the artist, but it made the blood in my veins thrum to life. A feeling I only ever experienced in moments like these.

 _'On that night under the staircase'_

 _'Our arms drifting down'_

 _'Your kiss made me a believer'_

 _'Cleansed my sins somehow.'_

My gaze found the vast sky above me and for a brief moment I felt my emotions breaking through the careful barriers I had built. A single tear traced down my cheek.

And then I was off.

Running as fast as my body could possibly take me. I was determined to run until my legs gave out from under me. Until I could leave my body behind, only my mind left.

 _'I'll be what you need'_

 _'I'll keep you inside my fortress'_

 _'Hand you the keys'_

 _'Let you roam these halls'_

Quickly enough I began to approach the first curve and I slowed my pace a bit so I wouldn't go tumbling to the ground. I'd made that mistake once before and I certainly did not relish in the feeling of skidding across the hard surface. Of course, after that time Levy had also nearly had a panic attack, convinced I had been attacked when I returned with bloodied knees and shallow cuts in my forearms.

Ms. Bossy Pants hadn't allowed me to run for a week after that and I had nearly lost my damn mind.

A soft snort escaped me at the memory. I knew Levy only acted that way because she loved me so much and for that I was nothing but grateful. Truly.

My agile body followed the curve easily. My speed increasing as the path began to straighten out again.

 _'But you tore down the keeps'_

 _'I returned to find ruins'_

 _'You left all my love in the rubble of these walls.'_

My heart beat wildly in my chest. Threatening to break away from my body.

Sometimes, I really wished this were possible. I mean Hell, half of the time I walked around feeling like a shell anyways.

But…I know that I have at least two people in this world that count on me. That need me. And no doubt mother would be unhappy if I tried to meet her before my time was really up.

Levy had softly reminded me of this on the first anniversary of mom's death that we were together. It had been a particularly rough year for both of us, seeing as we only had each other at the time. I had realized in that moment how much I truly cherished her company. The moment I realized this tiny blue haired child was my best friend.

My heart clenched painfully at the memory causing me to stumble slightly.

 _'But in my head'_

 _'I am still there'_

 _'I can still feel you'_

 _'Breathe in slow'_

 _'I've known this dream for a long time'_

I stopped suddenly my hands flailing slightly before finding my knees as I breathed out harshly. I gave myself a light shake, glancing around nervously as though there would be someone around to see me in this moment. Much to my relief there was still no one there. I was still for a moment before I mentally scolded myself for thinking anyone else would be in the park at this hour.

A small laugh escaped me.

I was still alone.

Always alone.

Not that I really minded anymore. Honestly more and more it felt as though I lived for these silent moments of solace that I only found in the middle of the night. No one was around to expect anything of me. Or ask why I hadn't smiled at all.

Or tell me that I was lying to myself when I vehemently said I didn't mind being so alone.

 _'In the air'_

 _'Suspended here'_

 _'With thousands of words we've spoken'_

 _'Can I soar?_

 _'Up through the clouds?'_

 _'Leave all of this behind?'_

With a shake of my head I began moving again, approaching the other side of the lake. I felt myself becoming distracted by the sensation of running once again. The second turn was carrying me to the furthest side of the lake and I cast a glance to my left. Watching the lights of the sleeping city on the other side of the water.

Briefly, I found myself wondering if there was anyone else in the world that ran at the same time of the night as me. In the next instant I found myself wishing; that somehow…somewhere out there, there might be and if so that our paths would cross one day. Of course, truthfully, I knew that there was basically no chance. Not that I believed that there wasn't a single soul out there who wasn't crazy enough to go for runs at _three in the damn morning_ but that the chances of me stumbling upon them were slim to none.

My luck was sanctioned to small happenings. Not ever anything as major or wonderful as that. Although…I did frequently feel that it was a miracle that I had found Levy and Porlyusica. Escaping father was also quite miraculous…but then again, I had been prepared to give my life in that instance. So, I suppose that might have just been the Fates allowing me a second chance.

Slowing once again I shook her head. No, there would be no such luck. I had surely used up all of the miracles I was allowed in this life time. Somewhere in the corner of my mind I knew that that dreadful man would find me again eventually. I could only pray that when that day finally came I would be strong enough to walk away once and for all.

 _'But in my head'_

 _'I am still there'_

 _'I can still feel you'_

 _'Breathe in slow'_

 _'I've known this dream for a long time'_

A small laugh bubbled its way up my throat but there was no real humor to it. I could really only wish to be that strong, the likeliness of actually being capable of it seemed none too promising. Even the thought of him coming back into my life was enough to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.

Father was a truly frightening man and I feared that once I was face to face with him again I would be reduced back to that frightened, sniveling child. The child that I knew was still curled up somewhere inside of me. Residing in the darkest reach of my soul, where it felt as though everything I loved went to die.

A grimace made its way across my face and I felt myself slowing to a stop once again. My hands found my face and I squished my cheeks together slightly, catching my lip between my teeth. I had the vague thought that this probably looked quite comical.

What was _up_ with me tonight? Normally, when I ran my mind was completely blank…but tonight my thoughts seem to be particularly noisy. The more I mulled this over the more I felt that it was pissing me off. I just wanted silence. Not this constant whispering.

In that moment I realized I was feeling uneasy. Quickly I glanced around again, checking to see if there was anyone lurking in the shadows of the tree line. My sharp gaze found nothing out of the ordinary but I still felt as though I was being watched. Although, strangely enough…it didn't feel threatening. Merely curious. Fascinated maybe.

 _'All alone'_

 _'I feel your breath'_

 _'I hear you whisper'_

 _'Dark like storms'_

 _'Telling me, "Dear I'll never leave your mind".'_

I had the sudden urge to call out to see if anyone else was around. But I knew better than to draw attention to myself like that. If there was someone else around hiding out of sight I doubted that I really wanted to come face to face with them.

Slowly I began to move again, although at a jog this time rather than an all-out sprint. Momentarily I found that I wanted to laugh at my nervous behavior. I knew it was only because I was running in a new place. Away from the woods I had called home for so long. Briefly I wondered how Porlyusica was doing. She had acted relieved when it finally came time for Levy and I to leave for Magnolia but I had seen the glaze of sadness in her stern gaze.

I understood that feeling well.

I was no stranger to putting on a face. Sometimes I wondered if when I looked in the mirror my reflection would ever look right again. I had plenty to be grateful for. I knew that. But every damn time I peered at myself Father's… _criticisms_ echoed in my ears.

My knowledge that I had a good life just simply didn't dissolve the feeling that I was missing something.

Something incredibly important.

 _'And you've been there all along'_

 _'Tugging me, pulling me down'_

 _'Touching him, holding him close'_

 _'You've made your home'_

The sensation made me feel a little crazy if I was being honest. I had no idea why I would feel this way. I mean, I was well aware of the thing that was so sorely missing from my life: my mother. That was the person who left this aching hole I now found myself with. There couldn't possibly be anyone else…

 _Right?_

The question made me stumble again and I cursed myself outwardly. Growling lowly at my own clumsiness. If I returned covered in scrapes I would without a _doubt_ send Levy into another panic. I really didn't want to concern my doting friend. Levy didn't deserve that. Really, it was selfish of me not to be more careful with myself. Maybe _I_ wasn't always the most concerned with my own wellbeing but there were others who were so for their sake I should try my best.

It was only right.

At this point I had slowed to a walk. My breath coming in little puffs, more from the constant racket that my brain was making than from physical exertion. I could vaguely make out the cloud of my breath for a moment before it disappeared. Fall was coming. Soon I would have to done warmer clothing for my nightly excursions.

 _'And I see your face through his eyes'_

 _'With every move of your hips'_

 _'You're breaking my bones'_

 _'While holding me hostage.'_

Suddenly something caught my attention. At the edge of the woods someone else was emerging. I vaguely noted through my surprise that they were running. My feet stilled beneath her.

This was…odd. Truthfully, I had never expected someone else to be out at this time. As the seconds ticked by I could physically feel myself becoming increasingly wary that that they might spell trouble for me. They trotted out from the shadows, easily making their way down the slight hill to the lake. My muscles tensed as they got closer. They couldn't be any further than twenty five feet away from me.

Although I realized, much to my relief, that it didn't seem they had noticed me standing here yet. I eyed them until I noticed that, much like myself, they were also wearing running attire. Vaguely I wondered if instead of standing there like a deer caught in the headlights I should just begin running back.

But then my heart stopped in my chest. What was that thing my mind had been muttering about luck earlier?

There was no way…No way in _Hell_ that I had _actually_ stumbled upon someone else that liked to run at the same time as me. It had to be a fluke. Caught up in my internal musings I hadn't noticed that the unknown figure had stopped and was now peering at me, surprise written across their features. As if a moth drawn to a flame they slowly started to move towards me.

My gaze snapped up immediately, causing them to stop. Panic flourished in my chest once I realized they were now only a mere fifteen feet away. Close enough to barely make out their facial features. I recognized in that instant that it was a male. Maybe almost a foot taller than myself with broad shoulders. It seemed as though he was breathing heavily bringing even more attention to the bright red workout tank he was wearing. There appeared to be something printed on it but I couldn't for the life of me make out what it was in the dim lighting.

 _'Could I still love you?'_

 _'Though my arms are breaking'_

 _'Could we still be alone?'_

He was moving again and my gaze snapped to his face. I squinted my eyes trying to decipher the color of his spikey hair but in the slivery light of the moon it was honestly hard to tell. Something light. I felt the breath catch in my throat at the soft glinting in his gaze. It looked strangely like the dancing light of flames and I felt myself get locked in place. My mind stilled.

I felt as though I should run but my stupid brain wouldn't make my body move the way I wanted it to. Instead, I found myself taking a hesitant step forward. As if possessed by some other worldly force. Maybe it was the fire that burned in those watchful eyes. I stilled again and so did he. We could only be ten feet apart now. I could _hear_ his soft breaths.

I was close enough now to see his face clearly in the dim moonlight. To my fascination I found that his eyes were the most mesmerizing onyx color I had ever seen. Our gazes were locked on one another making the breath catch in my throat. I could slowly feel myself falling into his depths. I had never in my life thought that a gaze could be so mesmerizing. It sent a thrill though my entire being. After a moment he shoved his hands in the pockets of his running shorts as he tilted his head ever so slightly. As if he was also fascinated by me.

Then, without warning, his lips tugged into a lopsided grin that suddenly had something clawing at the back of my mind. _Demanding_ my attention. My heart thundered in her chest. My blood thrummed so loudly that it startled me. I felt as if I wanted to keep moving towards this entrancing stranger. To close the distance.

 _'Do I still know you?'_

 _'Are you still my answer?'_

 _'To the question that I've asked since I was born.'_

His smile widened until I was certain it would split his face. I noted with fascination that his canines were far sharper than most and I found myself shivering. But not in fear.

We stood there in absolute silence simply looking at one another. I wondered briefly what my own face was doing. I felt the shock and awe I was feeling must be clear on my features as he looked quite amused. But I couldn't quite bring myself to care. There was something so _familiar_ feeling about the man in front of me. It screamed at me but I couldn't make out what it was trying to say.

My fingers itched to touch him. The urge was so strong I felt my cheeks begin to flush, my mouth falling open slightly as a little gush of air left my lips. His lips twitched in amusement, those pearly canines glinting lowly in the ethereal lighting.

Then, he opened his mouth and spoke,

"Yo."

His voice had a certain timbre, almost melodic but with deep, rough notes and something hidden in it that shocked my body back to life. That one word had completely floored me.

 _'Why?'_

Without warning I turned on my heel and fled. Running away so quickly he didn't even have a second to react. My feet pounded the ground with reckless abandon, salty tears racing down my cheeks that I wouldn't notice until much later. My heart was beating so hard I swore I could feel it in my damn throat. But I didn't stop running, couldn't stop until I realized I was turning the corner to the motel. With a last burst of energy I dashed across the street without looking. A loud honk sounded but it was lost on me as I pushed through the front doors of the building and blindly ran for the stairs.

Taking two at a time I found myself at our room door in an instant and with shaking hands I slid the room key into its lock, turning until a soft click resonated and I was able to twist the knob despite my shaking. Somehow, even though my mind was completely frazzled I managed to remain quiet enough to not wake Levy. Suddenly feeling completely spent I dragged my way over to my bed. Barely managing to kick off my shoes before falling down face first.

Sleep overtook me instantly and for the first time since I could remember I dreamed for the second time in a night.

* * *

 **Mmmmkay. Sorry I took forever and a KitKat break to get this up...I was debating on how I wanted to format the story so that I could put in Natsu and Lucy's first meeting without having them meet again and be like 'O-M-G IT U' because honestly, wheres the fun in that? I mulled over a few ideas and finally settled on one. Its awfully convenient if Ms. Lucy thinks that meeting bby Natsu was all just a dream yea?**

 **Ohohohoho and what about Natsu you may ask? Welllll lets keep in mind that they met 11 yrs ago annnd idk about y'all but my memory from 11 yrs ago is nooot that great. Also, Natsu is notoriously known for being one of the most forgetful characters in FT sooo it works! All he'll remember is a blonde girl from his childhood. Vague enough to pull of him being clueless when they meet again.**

 **Anywho if you read the first chapter you might also notice that it is now in all italics, this will represent Lucy's dreams. Stand alone sentences in italics will be thoughts. Also I changed a few minor details, if you notice them then you get a cookie and my endless praise lol. On another note I have decided that my regular updates will be Sundays! Woo~**

 **As always...**

 **Best, SB**

[CB1]


	3. Unlikely Friends

**Whoops totally forgot to give the name of the song from the last chapter, that was Windswept by Crywolf which is just another thing I don't own *cries* I was gonna bring it in later but I found myself with it on repeat while writing the last chapter so I worked it in. Anyways, I know its not Sunday but I suppose I might have been feeling a little guilty about being silent for like a month so here's the third installment in What The Heart Wants! Without further ado...**

Chp 3: Unlikely Friends

 _Lucy really had no idea how long she had been floating through this darkness. It was soft and peaceful. And as time crept on the quiet, slow tendrils of her conscious thought had decided that she was, in fact, dead._

 _She must be, right? If she hadn't perished in the fall then why on Earth was she still unable to wake her body? This thought bothered her and so she quickly abandoned it for silence instead. Truthfully she didn't much care if she had died. It wasn't as if she had anything she desperately wanted to return to anyways. Her mother had already passed, her father was a cruel beast of a man, and she had no friends she could recall._

 _Friends..._

 _The word made a deep, slow pain thud somewhere at the edge of her black abyss. It annoyed her and she desperately willed it to stop. She had no one to return to._

 _Right?_

 _Suddenly an image started to trickle into the black. A color of some sort. It was light and demanding. And beyond frustrating. What was this? The hue was bright, almost too bright in the pitch black. What was it called again? The word was on the tip of her tongue but every time she strained too hard to recall it, it danced away to a further corner where she couldn't reach. She growled at the darkness in frustration._

 _Think. Think. Think!_

 _Oh...pink. Sudden confusion swept through her weary mind. Why was she remembering the color pink, of all things? She liked this color, she mused, but the persistent nagging connected to it felt like it was due to more pressing matters. And it had all come about because her mind had muttered the word 'friends'. But she had none! She hadn't been around any other children since her mother passed. How could she have a friend with this being the case?_

 _She tried to return to the thoughtless floating black. It was easier than attempting to decipher what her mind was trying to tell her. She felt herself sinking further into the depths. An unknown weight dragging her down but she didn't care enough to fight it. It was sort of peaceful. Like she was sinking to the bottom of a deep lake but she was able to breathe in the water. Wait, was she breathing? She wasn't sure. She wasn't sure it mattered. Her mind grew heavy, the previously persistent color whose name she had once again forgotten slowly fading away back to black at the edges._

 _It was about to fade completely when she suddenly had the sensation that her entire world was being shaken. Like a massive earthquake. The black began to waver and white light crept in to take its place. It was bright, so bright that it was quickly becoming uncomfortable. The shaking increased. Becoming almost ferocious in its nature. The white tendrils encroaching on her black blanket became blinding. Painful. Then suddenly there was pink again, and a blue so deep it was almost black, deep green and lighter green. Shapes moving before her so quickly that it was difficult to make them out. Her head pounded. The black crept in once again from the edges but she was shaken even harder and then as sudden as there had been color, there was also sound._

 _"Lucy! Lucy!"_

 ** _'Lucy?'_** _She thought groggily._ _ **'What's that?'**_

 _"Common Lucy! Wake up!"_

 _She groaned. The noise sounded strange to her. Where was it coming from? It sounded like it was surrounding her. She tried to block out the uncomfortable sensations but suddenly she felt something wet. What was going on?_

 _"Lucy!" A far away sound wailed. The sound pained her. But not as the previous sounds had, this pain radiated from somewhere else in her. This pain had her clawing at the blackness trying desperately to cling more to the light._

 _The sound was getting weaker and a sudden panic overtook her._

 ** _'Wait! Wait! I'm coming! Please, don't leave me behind!'_**

 _She wanted to cry but her voice was somewhere far away. She no longer cared to float in the blackness. She had somewhere she needed to be. Something she had to get back to._

 _There was pressure somewhere in her. It was pulsing rhythmically. Almost painfully but she welcomed the pain. It felt necessary. Then there was a new pressure, but it was lighter. Softer. This pressure pushed something into her. Something she hadn't realized she was missing but suddenly felt greedy to get more of. As if answering her prays the sensation graced her again. Now she felt she needed it so badly it burned a raging trail of fire through the darkness._

 _What was this sensation? She knew it from somewhere. Her body burned and it made her cringe. She needed something desperately. In her desperation she tried to create the sensation by herself but something heavy and thick was in the way. She felt the heavier pressure again and it seemed to move the thickness so that it sloshed against the darkness in a sickening way. The gentle pressure was back again, providing the sweet feeling. But she knew it could be better, she was being given this feeling but maybe she should try taking it for herself again. Something in her opened and she tried to seek out the light that pushed down the thickness in her body. Suddenly the pressure was back, more aggressive this time and it made the black shatter. She coughed her body heaving and without the warning the heavy sensation came pouring forth from her._

 _Her eyes snapped wide as water gushed from her mouth. Splattering with a sickening sound on the grass next to her. Quickly followed by all of the contents of her stomach. Lucy gasped desperately for air. Recognizing shortly after she managed to get a lungful that this was what she had been searching for in the blackness that had been consuming her only moments before._

 _"Lucy!"_

 _She blinked her eyes rapidly. Tears blurring her vision as she groaned and tried to roll away from the mess she had created in the grass besides her._

 _"No!" She now recognized the noise she had been hearing before as the voice that was coming from behind her. It was shaking. "Don't lay on your back, there might still be water in your lungs!"_

 _Lucy groaned again as a pressure pushed her face closer to the grass and the mess. She strained against it but she was far too weak. Then there was a pounding sensation on her back. She tried to gasp in shock but more water made its way up her throat before spilling onto the ground in front of her. She coughed violently but no more liquid came up. After a few moments of lying lifelessly on the grass her strength slowly began to creep back into her weary limbs._

 _She groaned and gave her head a shake, trying to make sense of her surroundings. There were tall trees everywhere and she was lying on a river bank. The water swirled by at a lazy pace and she watched it as something sparked in the back of her mind. Bleary eyes followed the flow of the river as she pushed herself up before they met the bottom of a waterfall. The force of the falling water created a never ending spray as it met the river below._

 _Then suddenly it came back to her._

 _She had just fallen over that. Her eyes widened in shock…Just how far had she dropped? And by what miracle had she missed the rocks at the bottom?_

 _Her body shook as her memories returned. She whipped around to face a soaking wet boy who was staring at her incredulously. Her mouth opened but no words came out. Her eyes raked over him, searching for any sign of injury but truth be told he looked completely unharmed. Lucy was unsure of how much time passed with them sitting there and simply staring at each other._

 _"_ _Well," He said suddenly. "Ya sure do bounce back fast, dontcha?"_

 _She sensed that he might be mocking her a bit but she couldn't make her mind move fast enough to snap at him._

 _Instead she blinked at him owlishly. Once. Twice. Then she spoke. Her words were slow and rough from having just expelled what must have been a gallon of water._

 _"_ _How…are you alright?" Her voice was laced with disbelief._

 _He released a small 'tch' before looking away with a shake of his head._

 _"_ _I dunno," He grumbled petulantly. There was a moment of silence before he spoke again. "You're welcome for savin ya by the way." His eyebrows drew together as he stared at the damp grass._

 _For a moment she was left completely in awe as she stared up at him. Despite the fact that she was sitting next to the contents of her stomach she was in a place that she didn't recognize at all, which meant she had made it off of her father's estate alive. A small giggle erupted from her lips which quickly morphed into full blown laughter. Her shoulders shook with the motion as she fell on her back and rolled to face Natsu. Her eyes were closed from her efforts however so she couldn't actually see him. More laughter spilled from her lips._

 _She had run for her life, only to be swept away by a river before falling from Gods only knows how high and still actually managed to escape from her father's grip somehow._

 _She was_ _ **free**_ _!_

 _Her eyes cracked open to meet the disbelieving look of the boy before her. Her laughter died in her throat as suddenly as it had begun before she sat upright and guiltily looked away._

 _"_ _Um, sorry," She began nervously as she worried her bottom lip. "I realize it's impolite to laugh in front of people you don't know. I didn't mean to offend you."_

 _She peeked at him, internally cringing as she waited to be chastised for her behavior. When he didn't speak she began to ramble. Another nervous habit of hers._

 _"_ _Sorry, sorry." She stuttered out, rubbing her left arm awkwardly. "I don't laugh often it kinda just slipped out..."_

 _His brows furrowed even more, nearly hidden by his still-wet locks._

 _"_ _You don't…laugh?" He asked, having momentarily forgotten his previous annoyance. Confusion clearly evident on his face. The way he asked made it seem as though he didn't trust the words he was speaking._

 _She shook her head but didn't speak. Suddenly feeling far too shy under his gaze._

 _"_ _Why?" His voice was so soft it was almost a whisper. Her eyes widened in shock._

 _"_ _I…I don't know." She lied. Hoping he would leave well enough alone. But as she would come to learn Natsu wouldn't stand for her lies. No matter how small they may be. His eyes narrowed._

 _"_ _Lucy…"_

 _His voice stirred something in her. It was a foreign feeling and she desperately pushed it away, far down in her body where she hoped it wouldn't resurface anytime soon._

 _"_ _Because!" She wailed before stopping to draw a shaky breath to steady herself, keeping her eyes carefully trained on the ground in front of her. "There's nothing in my life to laugh about."_

 ** _'_** ** _Or anyone to laugh with.'_** _She added silently to herself._

 _The tone at the end of her sentence closed any possibility for further discussion on the matter. For being such a young child she was awfully somber the pinkette noted to himself. He accepted her answer silently, somehow knowing that she wasn't lying. For a long time the pair were quiet. Only the sound of the river lazily winding by could be heard._

 _Suddenly, as if startled, Natsu rose._

 _"_ _We probably shouldn't stay here too much longer." He murmured glancing down at her. "They could still be looking for you."_

 _Lucy's eyes widened in response as she turned to face the waterfall. Her gaze searching for any way her father's men could descend to continue their search for the prized Heartfilia child. Turning back she noticed that he had held one of his hands out to her. Tentatively her gaze found his._

 _"_ _Here." He grumbled, his eyes cast off to the side._

 _Without another thought Lucy reached out one tiny hand to grasp his larger one. With a grunt he pulled her to her feet and quickly released his grip once she was steady. A small smile graced her face but he was already turned around so he couldn't see it. For some reason Lucy was glad. It felt strange to smile at someone she didn't know. But something about this boy pulled it out of her and as they walked away from the river bank her tiny smile grew into an all-out grin._

 _After they had walked for a few minutes, all the while Lucy trailing a few feet behind, she suddenly seemed to remember something and moved up to trot by his side. Embarrassment was clear on the young girl's face, her cheeks burning a pretty pink color._

 _"_ _Hey…Natsu," She whispered softly, causing said boy to slow his pace a bit and glance at her from the corner of his eye. "Thank you." A soft smile curved the edges of her mouth._

 _Her words were so genuine that it startled him, causing him to stumble a bit which resulted in a rosy dusting that was evident on his tan cheeks. Natsu had never heard those two words said with such sincerity, and with the way her large brown eyes were watching him he had the sudden feeling she wasn't used to being helped out. None the less saved. He stopped and turned to face her. She stumbled a bit but caught herself and gazed up at him curiously._

 _"_ _Don't mention it."_

 _He lifted an arm to scratch at the back of his head before he began walking again. She continued on besides him in silence and even though it was nearly pitch black he couldn't miss that tiny smile on her face. He absentmindedly thought to himself that he never wanted to see her without a smile._

 _They walked along like that for a long time before he noticed that she was starting to lag behind. When he paused to ask if she was getting tired she bumped into his back and released a startled squeak. A sideways smirk erupted on his face as he decided that was a good enough answer for him._

 _"_ _We should stop for the night and rest." Natsu declared, casting a glance back at her. "Our clothes should be dry enough now that we can sleep in them."_

 _Lucy gave him a sleepy nod before she suddenly seemed to remember that they were in the middle of the woods. Far away from the only place she had ever known. The realization made the blonde incredibly nervous as her eyes started to dart around at the trees that surrounded them._

 _"_ _Um…" She mumbled still looking around. "Is it safe to stay here for the night?"_

 _She peeked at him when he chuckled. His eyes held an amusement that she couldn't understand and for some unknown reason it caused her to puff her cheeks out in annoyance. She had no idea where she was. How could she possibly know if these woods were safe or not?_

 _"_ _Relatively," He mused, enjoying the way her eyes widened a bit. "Don't worry, I'll make a fire to keep the animals away while we sleep!"_

 _"_ _And just how exactly do you plan on doing that in the pitch black?" She snapped. Not at all enjoying that this strange boy seemed to be finding her concerns amusing._

 _He only offered a shrug as an answer._

 _"_ _Done it plenya' times before."_

 _Lucy shifted uncomfortably before letting out a little sigh as she settled herself on the forest floor, continuing to cast weary glances around them. Natsu stopped in his pursuit of fire kindling just long enough to peer at the fidgety blonde. Her nervousness was almost palpable and he felt his normally blank expression soften._

 _She caught his eye as she turned her head back and he watched as she tugged her bottom lip between her teeth. Warm brown gaze seeking something from his own dark orbs._

 _"_ _Hey," Natsu started, his voice adopting a warmer tone. "No need to look so nervous Luce, I won't let anything happen to ya!"_

 _He pounded his chest with a closed fist as he finished speaking. His eyes were closed and a wide grin had broken out across his features._

 ** _'_** ** _Luce?'_** _The endearing nick name made her brow furrow for a moment but it quickly melted away as she peered at him. A strange warmth building up in her chest as she watched him collect wood for their fire. Once again she found the corners of her mouth tugging up into a smile and her lips parted._

 _"_ _I know…" She whispered it so quietly it was more like she was talking to herself. Sure he hadn't heard her she kept her gaze on the scuffs on her shoes as she smiled into her knees._

 _She would never know it, but he had heard her and a great pride swelled inside of him that would last for years to come._

 **Well there you are! Some NaLu fluff! I enjoy fluff as much as I enjoy angst. Roller coasters** **of emotions of everyone!**

 **Lemme know what your thoughts are on this chapter, I love hearing everyone's feedback it makes my insides tingly ne~**

 **As always**

 **Best, SB**


	4. Welcome to Magnolia University!

**Happy Sunday! Wowie I really need to start finding a better length because these chapters are becoming longer and longer *sheepishly smiles* oh well~ I hope you all enjoy the latest installment of What The Heart Wants!**

Chp. 4: Welcome to Magnolia University!

The second time I awoke was far more pleasant than the first. There was no sweating or rapid heartbeat and I couldn't be more grateful. Waking up afraid you're about to die is certainly not on my top ten ways to wake up. Mornings were already a bitch in my book.

Levy waving a large cup of coffee in front of my nose however definitely _was_.

"Lu-chan," She cooed sweetly. "It's time to wake up now!" Her singsong tone had a dopey looking smile on my face as I reached my hand out, drawn by the promise of caffeine.

"Gimme." My voice was still heavy with sleep and I felt my brows furrow together when she didn't immediately relent.

"Nuh-uh, you have to sit up if you want this. Unless you feel like paying for the comforter when you spill coffee all over it again."

I felt myself shudder at the memory of having to pay two hundred jewel at the last place we'd stayed after I had attempted to get my morning caffeine fix while still laying down. Stupid flimsy coffee lids. An audible groan left my lips as I pushed myself up on my right elbow to look at her. The snicker she'd been trying to hide suddenly became visible and I stuck my tongue out at her childishly as I snatched the sweet drink from her evil clutches.

Okay, maybe that was a bit dramatic but hey, I did already say that I'm not a morning person.

Despite the fact that I had somehow woken up to Levy's teasing once again I offered her the sweetest of smiles that I could muster after the first bit of hot liquid passed my lips. Contentment filled my entire being as I sat up fully, rubbing the palm of my free hand against my eyes. Attempting to clear away the remaining sleep. It was then that I felt the slight puffiness and remembered my previous run from only a few hours before. My eyes snapped open quickly as it all came rushing over me like a crashing wave.

 _'Who **was** that man?'_

 _'Or, erm, well…presumed man. He'd been a good head taller than me and with shoulders that broad I could only assume that he was somewhere around my age. I wonder if I'll ever come across him again…'_ At the thought I could feel my cheeks heat up in a strange blush that was slowly burning a trail of fire down to my neck. _'Ack! What if he's also a student at Magnolia University?! Gods I hope that he doesn't recognize me if he is! Seeing as I ran away like some skittish animal when he tried striking up a conversation. Wait, wait! Of course I did! I mean common, it's not like I know anything about him! He could be a serial killer or a generally crazy person! Running around past three in the morning. I mean, really, who **does** that? Oh, wait…'_

Suddenly I was pulled from my inner ramblings by a slim hand being waved in front of my face. I felt myself blink a few times before meeting Levy's curious gaze.

"Lu-Chan, are you feeling alright?" Her brows had come together in a furrow as she pressed the palm of her hand against my forehead. "Your face is all red…"

"Ack!"

The noise slipped from my mouth as I struggled to come up with a good excuse for my seemingly unwarranted blushing; but Levy could already tell that I was scrambling for words. So no matter what I said the likeliness of her believing me was basically nil. That woman could sniff out lies better than a bloodhound.

A sigh left my lips as I set down my drink on the nightstand and turned to face her, folding my legs neatly at my side.

"Well, I kinda had a run in with someone last night and I was just remembering it." I answered truthfully before putting my hands up like I was surrendering as the color slowly drained from her face. "Wait! Not like that, I swear nothing bad happened! Just…lemme get washed up and I'll explain everything."

The last bit left my mouth in a rush and I tugged on my bottom lip with my teeth as I waited for her to nod before making my way to the bathroom. I could feel her eyes on my back as I quietly closed the door behind myself and let my head knock back against it. A barely audible groan slipped past my lips before I gave myself a quick shake and turned on the faucet. Quickly I splashed my overheated cheeks with cold water which helped bring me back to my senses. My eyes slowly raised to meet my reflection in the mirror. The soft brown gaze that stared back at me seemed too bright to be my own and I quickly looked away.

Why did I look so hopeful? Lucy Heartfilia does not go around getting this flustered by random strangers. In fact, she is not one to get this worked up over a man _ever_. So this blushing and stuttering bullshit needed to stop.

Placated by my own rational I looked back to meet my gaze again and nodded sharply before I grabbed my toothbrush and toothpaste and started scrubbing away. Once I'd finished cleaning my teeth I grabbed my brush from the vanity and gently started pulling it through my long, golden locks before snagging a white ribbon and sectioning off a bit that I tied into a high side ponytail. I swiped on a bit of mascara before deciding not to go through the rest of my normal beauty regimen. After all, our only plans were to move into our dorm so most likely I'd be getting a little sweaty anyways. No need to get dolled up for that. I could always shower once we'd settled.

Feeling infinitely more confident I returned to the main room and began digging through my suitcase for a suitable outfit.

"Sooo, are you going to just tell me or do I need to drag it out of you?" Levy's inquisitive voice called from behind me. I turned to glance at her over my shoulder and smiled sheepishly.

"Ah, sorry Levy-Chan!" I giggled before turning back to pull a baby pink halter top from my bag. "No it's alright I'll explain everything. No need to pull teeth. Why don't you start getting ready as well while I tell you?"

I didn't need to look at her to know that she had offered me a shrug. Having deemed my response suitable.

"Sure thing Lu-Chan!" Her chipper voice would never fail to put a smile on my face. I heard her softly padding to the bathroom as I continued to dig through my clothing. A scowl made its way onto my face when I couldn't find my white pleated miniskirt. Where was that damn thing?

A noise of victory left me as I pulled it from the depths of my bag and fished out a white bralet and some light silky underwear. White thigh highs were the next thing I grabbed and as I started changing out of my running clothes I explained what had happened the night before.

"Alright, so I decided I wanted to check out the city's park for my run last night. There's a little lake so I figured I'd feel right at home…" I could hear Levy's little 'mmhmm' from the bathroom as I slipped into my outfit. "It was gorgeous really. Not as nice as the one by Porly's but good enough. Anyways, when I was running around the furthest point someone else came running out of the woods."

I slid my thigh highs on and peeked towards the open door of the bathroom to find that Levy had turned towards me and was now leaning against the doorframe, one perfectly manicured blue eyebrow cocked in surprise.

"Well," She mused pushing off of the door to adjust her signature orange headband. "That's new. So what happened with this mysterious stranger?"

I straightened before making my way over to the bed nearest to the window. She joined me, sitting on the bed next to it, her eyes staying trained on my face as I continued to speak.

"At first I was nervous because I've never come across anyone else on my runs. I thought that maybe they were running away from something but then I realized they also had running gear on." I took a swig of my coffee before holding it closer to my chest. My gaze dropped to the lid like it might have the answers to all my life questions printed on it. "Then my body just kind of froze up when they noticed me and the big weirdo started jogging over! By the time they were close enough I had realized that it was a man, probably about our age, with the craziest onyx colored eyes I've ever seen…I mean really, I felt like I was going to fall into them with the way he was looking at me."

Levy gasped and I looked up to see her clasping her hands together, an overly excited look on her face. Figures, Levy has been waiting for a man to catch my attention for almost five years. I laughed at her expression and gave a small shake of my head as if to say 'sorry, it's not what you think'. Her face fell as she scowled at me in an accusing way.

"You ran away didn't you?"

"Well, what were you expecting?!" My cheeks were alight in a blush again and my voice sounded indignant at best. I didn't mean to snap but I was finding that the more I thought about the mystery man the more flustered I became and it was pissing me off! "That I would stay and get to know him under the moonlight?"

The expression she shot me told me her reaction: _'DUH!'_. I rolled my eyes and took another sip of my slowly cooling beverage. _Mmm_ , raspberry.

"So…what exactly did he say that made you so skittish?"

"Erm… 'Yo'." I offered her a sheepish expression as I waited for her to start laughing at me.

"Let me get this straight…" Her eyebrows raised as she spoke and she seemed to be at least attempting to hold her stern expression together. "You stand there and ogle each other under the silvery moonlight for gods knows how long and then when he offers you a _greeting_ you turn and high tail it out of there."

The way she said it made it clear that she wasn't asking a question but stating the disappointing facts. I grumbled incoherently into my cup before knocking the rest of the contents back and glaring at the floor like it has personally offended me.

"…Yes…"

At this point Levy let her façade drop and began openly laughing at my otherworldly awkwardness. A blush was blooming on my cheeks but I masked it with a scowl and chucked my now empty cup at her, earning me a high pitched 'Hey!'. I rolled my eyes again before sighing and picking at none existent lint on my skirt. I knew Levy meant well and that she understands my reasons for being nervous but she's also been reminding me more and more often lately that it's been ten years since I ran away from home and my father has yet to find me.

Of course, it was certainly helpful that we spent about nine years living in the woods but it wasn't as if Levy and I never went into town. We were, after all, enrolled in the local high school. Although during our years there I had been using Levy's last name: Mcgarden. Porlyusica was old friends with the principal so he hadn't asked too many questions about Levy and I's sudden enrollment. Before that point we had been taught all necessary material by Porly herself. But when we both reached fifteen she had said she was tired of dealing with our shit all day. A small giggle left me at the memory. Levy shot me a quizzical look but I waved her off.

"So, does this mean that the park is to be avoided at all costs?" Levy asked with a small, teasing smile.

"No, of course not. I really enjoyed the trail there." I crossed my arms as I regained my normal confident air that I carried when it was just Levy and I. "I'm not going to keep one chance encounter with someone I'll mostly likely never see again keep me from doing what I want."

She offered me a megawatt smile and a cheer of 'That's the Lu-Chan I know!' before she bounced to her feet and began collecting all of her items from the bathroom. With a stretch and a sigh I started to do the same. The excitement of getting to move into our new dorm pushed all thoughts of strangers with piercing gazes and handsome smiles out of my mind. Soon enough we were all packed up and ready to check out of our room. I smiled at the promise of adventure as we shut the door behind us for the last time and made our way down the stairs to return our room keys.

Once outside Levy was nearly bouncing in place as she waited for me to extract my sunglasses from my purse. Grabbing hold of our belongings we quietly began making our way towards the University. A comfortable silence fell over us before Levy broke it with a question.

"So, are you excited to be starting Uni in only a week Lu-Chan?" Her free hand swung by her side as she peered up at me, my light brown boots giving me a few extra inches.

"Of course! I can't wait to see what the libraries like." A dreamy expression overtook my features and I knew she had a similar expression on her face. There was nothing quite like the smell of books to calm me. I would rather have been surrounded by large tomes than people any day. That was most likely a byproduct of my lonely childhood. Levy's mother had been a librarian and her father a professor so she also grew up with a love of literature. A sad cloud passed over me at the thought of a tiny Levy losing both of her parents to nasty complications due to influenza. I understood the pain of losing someone you cherished all too well. Damn cancer.

"You would be excited about the one thing that makes most students groan." Levy giggled. Her eyes glittering with mirth as I was pulled from my thoughts.

"What?" I retorted, arching a blonde eyebrow. "Like you aren't just as excited as I am?"

"Well of course!" Her snort was accompanied by an eye roll. "But I'm also excited at the prospect of making some new friends! I'm getting a little tired of a certain ex-Heiress I know…"

"HEY!" My voice became shrill at her jab and I momentarily forgot we were in public as I stomped my foot. Immediately blushing profusely when a few eyes turned to us.

She snickered at me lightly before laying a placating hand on my left forearm and patting gently. I snorted back at her, my embarrassment fading. I enjoyed Levy and I's teasing, it made me feel as though I could just possibly be a normal teenager. Well…young adult by that point I supposed. Although I didn't feel like one on most days. I was forced to grow up quickly and as such missed out on the child like wonder and activities that most others got to enjoy. Levy knew that better than anyone and I didn't doubt for a moment that that was why she poked and prodded at me so often. That and she just enjoyed watching me get worked up...The jerk.

I smiled at her fondly as she looked around at all of the different shops we passed by. Her eyes lighting up as we passed a tiny pastry shop. Her eyes found mine with a silent question in their dark brown depths. I smirked and gave a little shake of my head.

"Let's explore Magnolia once we've settled in." I offered when she pouted at me. "We should be arriving at campus within the next ten minutes. Didn't you want to see our dorm first?"

Her slight irritation at being deprived of a sweet treat-and probably more caffeine-was immediately forgotten once I mentioned seeing our new home, an enthusiastic nod meeting me instead. I smiled when she started to tug on my hand impatiently.

"Common slow poke!" She laughed as she started to run. "I'll race you there!"

"Hey-wait a sec!" I yelped, startled as I was tugged forward. By the time I had regained my footing she was already off. A trilling laugh trailing behind her. "Like you could ever beat me."

I smirked to myself before starting after her. Event toting my luggage I easily overtook her and peeked back as I passed to stick my tongue out before turning back and dashing away. Her sputtered protests somehow still reached my ears, sounding a lot like 'damn your long legs'. Within five minutes we'd reached the campus edge and I slowed down before turning on my heel to wait for Levy to catch up. When she finally stopped next to me she appeared slightly winded. After taking a moment to catch her breath she glanced up to shoot me an irritated look. I couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out at her mildly disheveled look.

"You're the one who wanted to race." I offered, fully aware that I was being entirely unhelpful. She lightly knocked her fist against my shoulder and snorted before grinning brightly.

"Common," Levy giggled as she fixed her headband. "Let's go get our dorm assignment."

I nodded enthusiastically as we began making our way towards the main building, enjoying the silence that fell over us. I found myself staring at the scenery of the campus that passed us by. The buildings were made of old brick and there was a long walkway that lead from the front gates up to one we were headed towards. As we walked the wheels of my suitcase made a light clunking sound. A lush green lawn surrounded us on either side, maple trees scattered throughout. The leaves were still a vibrant green and a tiny smile made its way onto my face. I could just imagine myself curling up at the base of one with a good book. Excitement thrummed in my veins at the prospect, making me feel giddy.

There were several other students around us. Some just sitting and chatting while others were perched at smooth cement tables that had matching benches. To our right I spotted a small group of people playing with a Frisbee. There were five individuals. Three males, and two females. Even with the distance between us I could tell that all of the guys were fit. After a moment I realized that they were all wearing matching t-shirts.

 _'Must be from one of the Frats.'_ I mused to myself before I saw something that made me stumble, my eyes going wide. One of the guys who had his back turned to us had the most beautiful shade of rose colored hair I'd ever seen. My heart skipped a beat as I felt a nagging from some dark, long forgotten corner of my mind.

"Lu-Chan?" Levy's concerned voice broke my concentration and I turned back to her so fast it nearly gave me whiplash. "What were you looking at?"

Unable to speak I pointed wordlessly at the group I had just been staring at. My eyes were nervously trained on the toes of my boots. I couldn't bring myself to look in the direction I was pointing and quickly snatched my hand back to fiddle with my purse strap. After a moment I peeked up at her only to find that she was blushing, a new emotion flickering across her features as she looked at one of the group members.

After another long moment she seemed to shake herself back to reality. Her blush deepened when she noticed that I was watching her curiously. Her expression turned to something akin to a mixture of shock and embarrassment. She quickly grabbed my free hand and started tugging me forward, mumbling something unintelligible under her breath. Despite rational thought telling me to just keep moving, I found myself peeking over my shoulder only to find that the pink haired man I had been staring at was watching us. I flushed and quickly brought my attention back to Levy who was still muttering to herself. My heart was doing weird little flutters in my chest and I suddenly found myself growing increasingly irritated. What the hell was wrong with me all of a sudden? I'd met plenty of gorgeous men before and none of them had ever made me act so off. A slight glare narrowed my eyes and I snorted with disdain.

Levy peeked back at me and I offered her a smile. She returned the gesture and once she had turned back around I shrugged my shoulders. Attributing my strange behavior to what happened last night and being slightly nervous about being somewhere completely new. Even though something told me that that was a lie.

Regardless I refused to suddenly become some timid, blushing mess any time I came across a guy, even if he was _devilishly handsome_. I felt myself blanch at the turn my mind had taken before shoving the thought far, far away. I was still mildly irritated as we made our way inside to the Registrar's office. But quickly found myself perking up at the friendly greeting we were given by the gorgeous woman behind the desk. Her hair was long, slightly wavy, and silvery white in color. She kept her bangs out of her eyes with a pink bow. Dark blue eyes lit up as we got closer and for a moment I was awestruck by her beauty. Then surprise washed over me once realization set in.

"Hello there," She smiled as she greeted us enthusiastically. "My name is Mirajane, how may I help you?"

I already knew who she was however. Mirajane Strauss, the model who posed for Sorcerer Weekly. Gorgeous by anyone's standards; not to mention someone I'd idolized for years, and now she was sitting right in front of us. Smiling like we had brought the sun with us when we walked in. Even though I tried I couldn't stop myself from gushing.

"You're the model from Sorcerer Weekly!" I bounced excitedly, a child-like glee shining in my eyes. Levy looked at me with barely contained surprise. Not shocked that I recognized the woman in front of us but that I was actually talking with her amicably. "Wow, I never would have expected that I would see you here."

She giggled lightly and grinned at me.

"I'm a student at Magnolia University!" She stood and politely offered me a slender hand which I grasped enthusiastically. "Are you two incoming freshmen?"

Levy and I both nodded and I momentarily caught the fond way Levy smiled as she looked between the two of us. A knowing sparkle in her eyes.

"Yeah, Lu-Chan and I were hoping to figure out our dorm assignment!" Levy responded as I dropped Mirajane's hand that I'd been holding for far longer than was probably deemed socially appropriate. I smiled sheepishly when she giggled at my antics. But I didn't feel any real embarrassment at the friendly look she gave me.

"I can get that for you." Mirajane cooed before quickly pulling out a large folder that she then began to leaf through. "What are both of your full names?"

"Levy Mcgarden and Lucy Mcgarden." Levy responded quickly while I looked away hoping that they had missed the slight nervousness in my eyes.

As soon as I'd turned eighteen I had actually legally taken Levy's last name so that when we enrolled at the University no questions would be raised. I was also praying that it would make it harder for my father to find me. Any paper trails for Lucy Heartfilia had ended as soon as I became a legal adult. But a small bit of doubt still nagged at me. If anyone from my past were to find me it would only be a matter of days before my father's personal militia was pounding down my door. A light shiver raced through me at the thought.

"Ah, so you're sisters then?" Mirajane looked between the two of us, a few papers clutched in her grasp. I could tell that she was surprised by the fact that we both had the same last name. Levy and I shared a look once we realized this.

"Well…" My mouth was moving before I could stop myself. "Not exactly. Levy and I became family at a young age so when I turned eighteen I legally took her last name."

My voice shook a bit by the time I was done speaking and when I looked back to Mirajane her face seemed to contort in anger. But it was gone so quickly that I wasn't sure if I had simply imagined it or not.

"Sometimes water is thicker than blood."

My eyes widened at the white haired woman in front of us. She smiled softly, as if she understood my fear, and I could feel my heartbeat rising. My throat started to thicken and I nodded before looking away. Willing myself not to start tearing up in front of a stranger. Levy grabbed my hand and I found myself thanking every god I knew for the millionth time that the tiny bluenette had come into my life.

"Anyways, here are your dorm assignments. You'll be staying in Fairy Hills. It's the all-female dorm on campus. There's a map there too…" Her voice trailed off as a thoughtful expression crossed her face. "But you know that thing can be a little confusing to read."

Levy and I looked at her curiously as she began neatly stacking the remaining papers before tucking the folder back into its correct filing cabinet. She fixed us with a motherly smile and cleared her throat.

"I would hate for the two of you to get lost so why don't I just take you there?" Her eyes sparkled as she looked between the two of us. I could feel my mouth opening to protest but she was already pushing out her chair. "I was about to go on break anyways!"

The way she said it left no room for discussion and I found myself nodding while she made her way around the counter. Only to emerge a second later through a door to the right that just now seemed to appear. Once she was finished locking up she leaned over the counter and snatched a _'Be back in 30 minutes'_ sign before turning to face us. Our assignment papers still firmly in her grasp.

"Well then, let's go find your dorm shall we?" She smiled as she reached out to grab my hand which Levy had released in favor of fixing the hem of her shirt.

For a moment I simply stared at our joined hands in shock but quickly found her gaze when she offered a reassuring squeeze. I thought that she would let go once we started moving but instead she simply started pulling me towards the doors that Levy and I had entered only a few minutes prior. I glanced back at Levy who was watching the whole spectacle, not even attempting to hide the amusement on her face.

Heat crept into my cheeks as we made our way back out into the warm sunshine. Far too distracted by Mirajane still firmly holding my left hand to bother with feeling weird about the contact. She hummed a soft, happy tune as she walked along the pathway between the building we'd just been in and the left side of the lawn. I knew that I should have been embarrassed by the fact that I was basically being toted around like a toddler but instead a small smile curved up the corners of my mouth. Mirajane glanced back and then tugged me up to walk besides her, a tiny giggle leaving her lips.

"So you said the two of you are freshmen, correct?" Her gaze darted to mine before she looked away again.

"Yeah," I kept my gaze forward to ensure that I wouldn't trip over anything while I talked to her. My clumsiness liked to makes its appearance at the worst times. "Levy and I are originally from Joya but we wanted to move away from home for college."

I silently added that it was actually even further away from Minstrel where I had been born. I'd wanted to get far away enough from my estranged father that I could feel relatively safe trying to lead a normal life. But to be completely honest I wasn't sure I would ever achieve that, even if there was an ocean between us. Too much could happen far too quickly in the twelve hours it would take to reach Magnolia by train.

"Oh wow, really?" Her eyes widened in shock when she looked back to me. Obviously wanting to ask another question but choosing to bite her tongue instead. "Magnolia's awfully far away from home for you then. How are you liking it so far?"

"I love it!" I couldn't stop my eyes from lighting up as I responded. Truly having fallen in love with the town in the three days that Levy and I had been there. "It's really different from home but everyone we've met has been very kind and I like all the nature around the area. It's beautiful."

My smile grew wistful as I recalled the lush forest that surrounded Porlyusica's cottage. A small pang in my chest made my smile falter but I quickly pushed it away.

"If you think it's pretty here you should take a trip to the Capital soon!" Mirajane gushed excitedly. I could feel myself warming up to the woman quickly and instead of shying away I decided to embrace it. Levy had said she wanted to make some new friends and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. "It's only a short train ride away compared to the nine odd hours the two of you must've traveled."

Again I could hear another question lurking beneath the surface of her words but she continued speaking as if it wasn't there. To be quite honest I was surprised that she hadn't broken and asked why on Earth we'd traveled so far away for college yet. My fondness was growing by the second and I promised myself in that moment that I would explain the reasoning to her someday. Mirajane really did seem like the kind of person one could put their trust in.

"Well, I'm a junior here." She continued. "My little sister, Lisanna, is actually a freshman this year as well. I could introduce the two of you to her if you'd like."

"That would be wonderful!" Levy's excited voice chimed from behind us. Mirajane and I looked at each other before slowing so that Levy could join us in walking to Mirajane's left.

"Geez, sorry we left you in the dust like that Levy-Chan." I mumbled apologetically when she came into view. The guilt I felt was instant. "Really…"

"Lu-Chan!" Levy started, her tone demanding my eyes. "Please. Don't worry about it, it's not as if I felt left out." Her chocolate brown eyes were warm as she held my gaze, sincere beyond words. I could tell by the way that she was looking at me that she would never feel left out as long as we were together and I felt my expression softening. It was true after all. As long as Levy and I had each other everything would be alright.

"Kay." Was my murmured response.

Though my voice was soft I was well aware that she could tell from my eyes that I had heard her unspoken words. She smiled brightly at me as Mirajane watched the two of us interact. Instantly seeming to understand the bond that we shared. Best friends that were as close as sisters. Her own smile was brilliant as she walked with us, seemingly right at home.

"By the way," Mirajane giggled as we all faced forward again. "Please call me Mira! Mirajane seems far too stuffy between friends, don't you agree?"

Levy and I both flushed happily before giving a resounding 'Aye!'. I giggled along with Mira then as she neared another building that was set back behind the campus. It was longer than it was tall, only five stories at the most but the building itself must have taken up at least an acre and was built in an 'L' shape. There was thick green ivy growing up the walls but rather than make it look overgrown it took on a magical aura. Much to my delight there was a lawn in front of this building as well with a few more maple trees scattered throughout and a large willow tree in the center. I heard the gasp leave my lips before I could stop it at the sight of the majestic tree. Instantly memories of sitting beneath a similar willow with my mother as the warm summer breeze billowed through the grass flooded my mind. A small, sad smile crept across my face before I focused my sights elsewhere. Mira was looking at me curiously but I wasn't paying attention, prompting Levy to respond in my place.

"Lu-Chan's favorite tree is a willow." Her voice was soft and I knew that she was also thinking of the memories I had shared with her when we were little.

"I used to play with my mother under one when I was little." I offered.

My tone was wistful even to my own ears and Mira tightened her grasp around my hand in response, causing me to look over at her. Her deep blue eyes held a sadness similar to my own and before I could stop myself I had wrapped my arms around her neck in a tight embrace. She only paused for a beat before her own arms slipped around my waist as she pulled me closer to her, her temple pressed against the side of my head. When we stepped away Levy looked like she was about to burst into tears. Her bottom lip was trembling but her eyes were alight with so much joy that I couldn't bring myself to fret over her too much.

I gave a little laugh as I wiped away the tears that had gathered along my lash line. Feeling slightly embarrassed that I had just embraced someone that was still a stranger, even if it didn't feel like it. I could hear father's reprimanding words ringing in my ears and I bit my lip as more tears threatened to well up. Mira seemed to notice my internal struggle despite my trying to hide it and she reached for my hand wordlessly once again as we started towards Fairy Hill's main entrance. In that moment I got the distinct feeling that I would be able to hide what I was feeling from her just about as well as I could from Levy.

"It looks like you two are located on the third floor." Mira spoke as she glanced over the papers in her left hand. She smiled brightly as she looked between Levy and I. "That's a great spot, not too many stairs but high enough to still give you a good enough view of the grounds!"

Her cheerful disposition lifted my spirits immediately and I felt relief rushing through me like a soothing wave. Pushing away any thoughts of the life I was still fighting to escape. We paused as we got to the bottom of the stairs that led to the front door and Mira released my hand. She took a small step back from us and handed off the papers to Levy.

"Well, I should probably head back but it really was such a delight to meet the two of you!" She offered a little wink before speaking again. "I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

Levy grinned brightly and I offered a smile of my own as she turned to leave. Levy and I were just about to ascend the stairs before she came running back over to us.

"Oh wait! Wait just a moment!" I turned back to face her and felt the urge to giggle at the sheepish expression that she was wearing. "Actually, I've already invited Lisanna to come out with me and some of my friends tonight. Would you two mind joining us?"

I felt surprise take over my features, my mouth opening a slight bit at the fact that Mira had genuinely meant what she had said. Not that I had assumed that she was being flighty but I had honestly thought that it just seemed like the polite thing that people said to one another. I'd never imagined that she would hold so fiercely true to her words. Of course, with time I would learn just how fierce Mirajane Strauss could be when it came to the people she cared for.

"Wow, yeah that sounds like a blast!" Levy could barely contain her excitement as she responded. Bouncing in place slightly. "Why don't you take my number and text us when you'd like to meet up?"

Mira nodded, her eyes lighting up as she collected Levy's phone from her outstretched hand and entered her number. Then she offered a wave as she made her way back towards the Registrar's office.

"Don't forget to come tonight or I'll just have to come find you and drag you out with us!" She called over her shoulder, flashing a devilish smirk that made chills run up my arms. Somehow I had the feeling that she wasn't kidding about that. "There are some people you definitely need to meet along with Lisanna!"

Levy looked at me with a quirked eyebrow taking in my equally stunned expression.

"You think she would really do that?"

"Yes," I nodded before laughing. "I most certainly think that's exactly what she would do."

"Cool." Levy's answering chuckle was just as joyful. "Okay common then, let's go see our new home!"

Once we had gotten inside and collected our room keys we practically ran up the stairs. Levy gave a call of joy as she found room 310 and inserted her key, unlocking it with a smooth 'click'. She swung open the heavy wooden door with a flourish revealing a small but homey living space. There was a plush looking light grey couch pushed against the wall to the left with an oak coffee table sitting in front of it and another armchair besides that nestled in the corner. Next to that was what, I presumed to be, one of the bedroom doors. As we stepped inside I noticed another door about five feet to the right of the first one and a small galley style kitchen on the right side of the room with a breakfast counter separating it from the main room. There were two oak stools tucked beneath the slightly protruding edge. On the wall next to that was another door, which ended up being the bathroom proving my earlier presumption about the other doors correct. As well as another smaller door that was a closet with an ironing board folded up inside. The floor was a light colored linoleum designed to look like wood.

Overall it was far nicer than I had been imagining and my mind started to spin with all the different ways Levy and I could make it uniquely our own. Levy seemed to share my thoughts as she let out a low whistle before closing the front door behind her. It shut with a heavy thud as she moved out towards the middle of the room without bothering to lock it behind her.

"Wow, there's even ample wall space for a decent sized bookshelf." She cooed, clasping her hands together in delight. I nodded at her sentiment before glancing at the door next to the armchair. She caught my gaze and followed it before letting out a little chuckle. "Do you want the room furthest from the kitchen Lu-Chan?"

"Yes please." My answer was immediate and she laughed at the obvious excitement rolling off of me but I couldn't bring myself to care as I made my way towards my new bedroom. Once I pushed open the door I was elated.

It was decent size with a small closet and twin bed that was slightly raised off of the floor. A fairly large oak desk with a rolly chair was situated up against the wall shared by the door. I noted with an approving smile that there was a good amount of room for a few shelves on the wall as well as a bookcase.

A small pout twisted my mouth when I noticed that the bed had been pushed to the far corner of the room but quickly got over my mild disappointment when I gave it a little push and realized that it wasn't bolted to the floor. Without a second thought I maneuvered the bed so that it was sitting under the window, which took up a good portion of the furthest wall from the door; flooding the room with natural light. Nudging my luggage over to the closet with my foot I flopped down on the bed and rolled onto my back before gazing out the window. It would be easy to see the stars from here at night. A soft sigh drifted past my lips.

"I miss you so much mom." My voice was barely a whisper but my words seemed to echo around the room, making it feel empty. Making me feel empty.

My eyes drifted down towards the lawn and stopped when they landed on the willow tree. The leaves were gently swaying in the breeze and I rolled to the left just enough to push the window open. Inhaling a deep breath through my nose as I let my eyes fall shut, the air smelt like fresh cut grass and the beginnings of fall. I could feel the weariness seeping into my bones and took in another deep breath to try and block out the heavy sensation. Instead focusing on relaxing every muscle in my body, allowing the last of the summer breeze sweeping through the room to gently lull me to sleep.

 **Yeaaa like I said that was a long one! A little over 7,000 words but I honestly had a blast writing this. And look! New character! I hope I did Mira justice. Lucy's going to find her hands full with Mira in this story let me just tell you. Please review and let me know what you think. 5 reviews will get the story out sooner! Otherwise I'll see y'all on Sunday :-)**

 **As always. Best,**

 **SB**


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